New Herefordshire Life food blogger, Louisa, cooks up a quick and easy comfort food classic using locally sourced ingredients.

Hi folks, I’m Louisa. A newbie foodie to the county, not a chef, but a keen home cook, recipe developer and family food writer. I’m also a passionate advocate of eating locally, seasonally and as sustainably as possible. Finding myself living in gloriously bountiful Herefordshire this is truly an easy - not to mention delicious - ethos to achieve!

In my first recipe for Herefordshire Life I give you my Pork Medallions in an Apple, Cider, Sage and Crème Fraiche sauce. A surprisingly simple dish that’s perfect for an easy dinner party or Sunday lunch. And wonderful served with my lighter version of a Dauphinoise, using part potatoes and part celeriac, plenty of thyme and milk rather than cream. My comfort food nirvana!

Locally sourced ingredients

I sourced my pork from Legges of Bromyard, whilst I may be new to the area I’m well acquainted with multi-award winning Legges and their wonderful pies and butchery, thanks to my parents who live nearby. Cider was Dunkertons and most of my veggies and apples from Skylark Organics, from whom I have a weekly delivery. Herbs from my garden and magnificently flavoursome rapeseed oil from Brockmanton. You see it’s so easy to buy local in these parts!

1) Heat the oil and butter in a large high sided frying or sauté pan on a medium heat, sauté the pork for a minute or two on each side until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside

2) Add the finely diced onion to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring regularly so it doesn’t ‘catch’. Add the garlic for a further minute

3) Place the pork back in the pan along with the sage, finely diced apple, cider, stock and a generous pinch of black pepper

4) Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow to bubble away for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 15 minutes the pork should be cooked, remove it from the sauce with a slotted spoon and set aside (cover the pork to keep it warm)

5) Reduce the sauce for a further 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in the crème fraiche, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Add the pork again and serve immediately

Celeriac Dauphinoise

Serves 4 – 6

1 small celeriac, peeled and finely sliced

500g potatoes, very well scrubbed and finely sliced (peel if you wish, but I like to keep the skin on if they’re organic)

1 small onion, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 dessertspoon fresh thyme leaves

50g Parmesan, finely grated

salt and pepper

300ml whole milk, organic if possible

15g butter plus a smidgeon more for buttering your dish

1) Preheat your oven to 200°c/180°fan/Gas Mark 6

2) Lightly grease with butter a medium sized oven-proof dish for the dauphinoise

3) Place thin layers of the celeriac and potato in the dish scattering on a little onion and garlic, a few thyme leaves, seasoning and a sprinkling of Parmesan as you go (retain about 1 tablespoon of Parmesan for the top)

4) Finish layering with the potato or celeriac or a combination of the two

5) Pour over the milk, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and dot pieces of butter evenly over the top

6) Place in the hot oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The potatoes and celeriac should be very tender and the top bubbling and gloriously golden